Days 36 through 48: 28 April 2011

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good Night


Today marked my final day as a Grand Rapids Public Museum Collections Intern. Quite a title, I must say. It has been a busy few weeks finishing up the last of my intern responsibilities. I had ever so much fun over at CARC. 


These last few weeks have been a hodgepodge of tasks and good byes. We lost our collections tech, Jon, to GVSU and have been taking over some of his jobs while interviews will be starting to find a new Jon. There were days of prepping items for storage and preservation in the basement, moving [yes still doing that] clothes and artifacts, data entry, shoes, candy tins and cake days. 


Yesterday and the day before were spent finally getting all of that data entry done! Yes, DONE. All of the ethnology artifacts that we located are entered into the online database as well as anything that was moved to the basement for preservation. [I seriously cannot explain how amazing it is that we completed that... but maybe the 4 inch 3-ring binder that it was housed in can]. 


Today we finished moving the clothing collection to its final resting place. We seriously ruled today. I also finished my shoe slide show that will be on the website soonish. 


The past two weeks were spent photographing and creating pages in the data base for a collection of candy tins that were donated by a former Brach's Candy employee and collector. 

These two guys were for use in candy stores and shipping. Giant bins of candy. Yes please. And last is a photo of the lot of tins. 

I also photographed some historic shoes [as well as tons from the regular collection] that were found in the old boxes from the original Gas Light Village exhibit from the old museum. Kinda cool....

Babay boots!

Baby shoes!

I thought these guys were just too cool. Not for me though, gotta stay in the collection.

Note the teenie tiny black riding boots on the left....

We spent one thursday from 9 until 4 cleaning out what is called the cage. It's a giant.... cage... that houses all new accessions or artifacts that are possibly going to be deaccessioned. There was so much crazy stuff in there. Adorable little pocket watches, a very cool cartographers kit and lots of glassware. Very cool. Everything got an artifact number and a record in the computer. Feels good. 

So, last things last, I will shortly be adding a journal article review on Moving Collections [seriously awesome... to me...] as well as my portfolio for my internship. 

SIDE NOTE

The numbers are in and though it may mean nothing to anyone but me and Andrea, these are my stats for data entry:

782 for artifacts inventoried/location updates

[So thats mostly ethnology and probably some shoes]

128 condition reported

[also probably all shoes]

93 cataloged

[things that I personally created records for in the online collection]

My oh my, its been quite a ride. 

Ta ta lovelies.

kg

Day 35: 30 March 2011

I'm a lazy blogger

Its been a little while but I am back [getting a second job and working 6 days a week has not lent well to writing]. Since we last spoke [inventory ended up being a tease] I have been moving things. Yes, still moving. There is a lot of work that came totally out of the blue for everyone and now we are getting things back in order.

SIDE NOTE: I found out today that I have located and entered said locations into the computer of over 600 artifacts. SIX HUNDRED ARTIFACTS that previously did not have a digital location. That is amazing. I am so great. wait.

So today we find our blogger in Processing with a lap top, a camera, the new Strokes album and lots of teeny tiny shoes. Baby shoes. I have been looking forward to these little guys for a while. Simply adorbs... and I don't even really like kids! 

There will be more photos later but this guy is just so precious. Little green ruffles and bows. Sold. Actually, I can't locate the photo now. SO later. 


Anyway. More updates to come in the next hour!
 

Day 27: 10 March 2011

German Grammar


Since most of the moving is pretty much done [!!!] Andrea, Kaila and I restarted inventory. Remember that? That relaxing thing we used to do where I get to sit a little and look at stuff while noting its location? [picture my voice getting higher as that sentence goes on...] I remember it now! Once again, everything has a place and every place goes into the computer. I love it. So tidy. 

Teeny, tiny pipe from Italy. Adorbs. [pencil for scale...]

Hand carved hair pin from Italy. [Its bigger than the pipe...]

Cute little grammar book. Tee hee.

Happy Thursday! Its the weekend [but not for me!]

Day 26: 9 March 2011

Mousketeers and Seersucker 

till moving into new space. The last of the clothing is heading down today! And thats that! 

This is the last of the ethnology to head to shelves. Its from Egypt. [I love Egypt] Gold bangles and intricately cared gourds. Hecks yeah.

More clothing, obviously. Just some more highlights of the collection. 

This is a Canadian WWI jacket. Very cool buttons.

A nurses uniform. Probably the cutest thing ever. 

A seersucker American Red Cross uniform. Super fly duds, I must say.

This guy is in the collection after all of the silk housecoats and robes. Man, the 90s were super good to fashion.

"You could be the first pirate commedian!"

"But I don't wanna be a pirate!"

Actually just a french nobleman's jacket. Pretty snazzy.

We have two of these little buggers. I bet Mary Kate was the best. The other one says "CAROL", I bet she was pretty great too.

Well. Moving still. Moving tomorrow. moving. 

Happy Wednesday!

Day 25: 8 March 2011

Wedding dresses and the Great Wall


The movers have been hard at work this week. I arrived to find most of the shelving and clothes racks moved downstairs. I started the day moving ethnology stuffs onto their shelves with Kaila. I made a cute little discovery. This is not a block of cement, as I so stupidly assumed, its from the Great Wall of China. No big deal.

Sometimes we get put in our place by a brick.

So. Anyway [brushes off ego]. 

Post coffee break was spent moving clothes to the newly assembled racks in order to clear off what was left so it too could come downstairs. We started with the wedding dresses and I confess, I was super excited. I have been wanting to check them out for a while. 

The lace just blows my mind. This little section here ranges from the late 1920s but to about the 40s. Awesome. I imagined myself dancin' around in them, of course not allowed in real life. But a girl can dream right?

This isn't ours, its the city's, but I like that category. A little depressing but way to be sensitive guys in the 30s. 

These jackets were super lovely. I don't really know a better way to describe it. The beading is so intricate and all done by hand. Amazing. I love this style. Don't be surprised if you see me running around in something like this. Get ready, I'm bringing back the 80s [the 1880s, that is]. 

These bad boys are graduation dresses from the turn of the century up to about the late teens. Once again, I want to wear these all summer. So light and delicate. I'm sold. This whole move has really proven just how amazing our collections really are. I didn't doubt it, but its just in my face now.

I really wish my phone took better photographs. These two tops blew me away. 

So anyway, I end this Tuesday with sore feet and in awe of how cool people got to dress. Now we just run to the mall.

Oh well. Happy Tuesday!

Day 24: 3 March 2011

Cleaning and Sorting




The last of the clothing has so far been condensed and today was spent dusting and vacuuming all of the shelving that gets to move on Monday. Pretty long day. It mostly looked like this.

I really loved this dress. I want to wear it all summer. Also, is it summer yet?

We listened to classic rock all day. Happy Thursday. Next week is going to be busy...

Day 23: 2 March 2011

So close I can taste it.


The move is upon us. Movers show up monday to get our shelves out of the old space and into the new. I'm excited! Its like everything gets to be shiny and new. I moved the last of the conservation clothing today to its temporary home. I guess the movers will take the rest. Here were some of my favorites.

Tiny little button down. I keep gigglin' when I picture a kid in this.

Vest from China, 1900s.

Woman's costume, Afghanistan, 1900 ish.

Little tiny mirrors. I love this embroidery. 

Robe, Japan. So pretty.

Sleeve of a robe from Japan. I'm sorry, is that a swastika?

The detail gets me. My my. So delicate.

Dress from India 1920s.

I'm glad you are so sure... ["prob. japan"]

Chickens! Philippines. Adorbs.

I have one of these in ma closet...

Skirt, sash and tiny bag. So cool.

Well. I hear that tomorrow is vacuum day, I'll letcha know. Happy Wednesday.